Celebrating Success, Sustainably

As part of the Swim School's recent rebrand, certificates have been refreshed and the way they are awarded has been streamlined. Certificates are generated through the Swim School’s online portal when a swimmer successfully progresses to the next level, giving families easy access to their child’s achievements online. Families of Junior swimmers can also choose to receive a printed certificate, which can be collected from reception. Junior swimmers will continue to receive achievement stickers, which reception staff can add to their certificate as they progress through the swimming levels. Older students can access their certificates directly through the online portal.

Previously, instructors spent significant time completing certificates for all students, including those who had not advanced. Many certificates were never collected, creating unnecessary administration and paper use.

The updated approach means staff can spend less time on paperwork and more time supporting swimmers in the pool, while also reducing waste and improving the experience for families.

Catherine Todd, Aquatics Activity Leader, said celebrating swimmer's achievements remains an important part of the programme. "We love seeing babies, toddlers, preschoolers and children grow in confidence and progress through the levels. Recognising those achievements is always a highlight for our staff, and this new process allows us to do that in a more efficient and sustainable way."

Makino Swim School caters for up to 900 pupils, helping build water confidence, swimming skills, and essential water safety knowledge.

The certificate update is one of several improvements introduced alongside the Swim School's refreshed branding, developed in-house by Manawatū District Council.

This latest enhancement reflects MAC's ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality swim education and continuously reviewing our services to best support participants, families and staff.

For more information about Makino Swim School, enrolments, or free swim assessments, visit Swim School | Makino Aquatic Centre.